Hand-held scanning head having auditory beeper with a changeable beeping rate

Abstract

An auditory beeper mounted in a hand-held scanning head of an electro-optical system for reading light-reflective indicia signals a user that the indicium has been found and is ready to be read by generating a series of sounds or beeps whose rate of beeping changes upon finding the indicium.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a system for electro-optically reading indicia, an aiming signaling arrangement for signaling a user that an indicium is ready to be read, comprising: a) a housing supportably held and movable by the user relative to the indicium to be read;   b) a detector supported by the housing, and operative for detecting when the housing is aimed directly at the indicium to be read; and   c) an auditory indicator operatively connected to the detector and supported by the housing, and operative for generating an auditory signal upon detection that the housing is aimed at the indicium.   
     
     
       2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the auditory signal is a tone. 
     
     
       3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the auditory signal is a series of sounds. 
     
     
       4. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein the auditory indicator generates the sounds at a rate which changes. 
     
     
       5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the detector is a sonic ranger for emitting a sonic signal to the indicium for reflection therefrom, detecting a reflected echo signal from the indicium, and actuating the auditory indicator upon detection of the reflected echo signal. 
     
     
       6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the detector is an aiming assembly supported by the housing, for generating and directing an aiming light beam away from the housing toward the indicium to visibly illuminate at least a part of the indicium. 
     
     
       7. The arrangement of claim 1; and further comprising a scanner supported by the housing, for scanning the indicium; and also comprising a trigger actuatable by the user for initiating operation of the detector in an aiming state, and for thereupon initiating operation of the scanner in a scan state. 
     
     
       8. In a method of electro-optically reading indicia, an aiming signaling method of signaling a user that an indicium is ready to be read, comprising the steps of: a) supportably holding and moving a housing by the user relative to the indicium to be read;   b) detecting when the housing is aimed directly at the indicium to be read; and   c) generating an auditory signal upon detection that the housing is aimed at the indicium.   
     
     
       9. The method of claim 8, wherein the auditory signal is a tone. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 8, wherein the auditory signal is a series of sounds. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10, wherein step (c) is performed by generating the sounds at a rate which changes. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 8, wherein step (b) is performed by emitting a sonic signal to the indicium for reflection therefrom, detecting a reflected echo signal from the indicium, and generating the auditory signal upon detection of the reflected echo signal. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 8, wherein step (b) is performed by generating and directing an aiming light beam away from the housing toward the indicium to visibly illuminate at least a part of the indicium.